Who should get a shingles vaccine?

A:

Quick Answer

Adults age 60 and older are recommended to get the shingles vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Known as Zostavax, the shingles vaccine is approved for individuals age 50 and older, but the CDC does not recommend it until a person reaches the age of 60.

Keep Learning

Shingles or herpes zoster is a reactivation of the chickenpox virus and is characterized as a painful skin rash with blisters, as stated by WebMD. The same virus remains dormant inside the nerve tissues of a person who contracted chickenpox, and it reactivates when a person's immune system weakens or undergoes physical and emotional stress. Approximately one in three Americans is likely to get herpes zoster during his lifetime, the CDC said, with the elderly more likely to develop the disease.